Gelasius of Cyzicus

LATTER fifth century. Church historian. Our only knowledge of him is derived from Gelasius himself. He was the son of a presbyter of Cyzicus in Asia Minor, and having found in his father's house a document which had belonged to Dalmatius, bishop of Cyzicus, containing an account of the proceedings of the Council of Nicea, he was prompted to write a history of the council. He appears to have used other sources-such as Eusebius, Rufinus, Socrates, and Theodoret-in compiling it, and adds little of value to his earlier sources. The history contains a number of errors and anachronisms. Thus a number of chapters are devoted to disputations on the divinity of the Holy Spirit, a matter not yet in question. It is sometimes assumed that the history contains a complete collection of the synodal acts of the council, but there is no evidence of the existence of such a collection.